Galle: By lunch on Day 3 of the first Test at the Galle International Stadium, Indian spinners had dismantled Sri Lanka’s top order with superb spin bowling, reducing the hosts to 99 for 5 in 28 overs.
Six wickets fell during this session—five of them belonging to Sri Lanka. Every move India made worked in their favor. Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar proved his mettle by ensnaring Sri Lankan batsmen in a web of turn and bounce; bowling with impeccable length, he claimed 2 wickets for 17 runs.
Kuldeep Yadav made a brilliant start by taking a wicket, while Ravindra Jadeja demonstrated his value on the turning track by claiming a scalp of his own, and Mohammed Siraj struck in his very first over. Sri Lanka still trails by 363 runs, with Niroshan Dickwella (batting on 8) and Sonal Dinusha (batting on 13) at the crease at the lunch break. However, they face a massive struggle to avoid the follow-on.
After India’s first innings folded for 462 in the morning—following Asitha Fernando’s dismissal of Prasidh Krishna—the Indian bowlers went to work immediately, needing just two balls to break Sri Lanka’s opening partnership.
Siraj delivered a superb outswinger that took the edge of Nishan Madushka’s bat; the ball went to first slip, sending the opener back to the pavilion without scoring. Subsequently, the Indian spin trio of Suthar, Kuldeep, and Jadeja completely dominated proceedings on a pitch offering sharp turn and bounce.
Suthar made an impact with his very first delivery; using excellent drift and spin, he lured Dinesh Chandimal into stepping forward. The ball grazed the edge of his gloves and went to Rishabh Pant behind the stumps, who took a brilliant catch. Suthar maintained the pressure with consistent, accurate bowling and dismissed Lahiru Udara for 27. Udara attempted a cut shot against a bouncing, turning delivery but, due to poor timing, handed an easy catch to backward point.
With the score at 53/3, Sri Lanka needed a partnership to steady their innings, but Indian captain Shubman Gill put the hosts in further trouble with a brilliant fielding effort. Diving full-length to his left at short extra cover, Gill took a spectacular one-handed catch inches off the ground to dismiss Kamindu Mendis (14) off Kuldeep’s bowling.
Then, just three minutes before the lunch break, Jadeja produced a fine spell to cap off the first session. Bowling a stump-to-stump line, Jadeja got the ball to turn sharply and induced an edge from Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva (21); KL Rahul completed the catch with a low dive at first slip, ensuring another session went India’s way.
Brief Scores: India 462 all out in 116.4 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 167, KL Rahul 82; Prabath Jayasuriya 4-109, Keshara Nuwantha 3-175); Sri Lanka 99/5 in 28 overs (Lahiru Udara 27, Dhananjaya de Silva 21; Manav Suthar 2-17, Ravindra Jadeja 1-6); India lead by 363 runs.
